May 4: Antibiotic-free Fundraiser for FWW at Legume

Healthy Farms, Healthy Families -- Legume Bistro will host chefs Steven Beachy from Marty’s Market and Kevin Costa from Crested Duck for a fundraising dinner in support of Food and Water Watch’s “Healthy Farms, Healthy Families” campaign.  A social hour featuring Crested Duck charcuterie and bubbly beverages (probably Arsenal cider) will be followed by a four-course meal featuring antibiotic-free meats from Western PA.  The cost is $90, which includes tax, gratuity and beverage pairings for each course. For more information and tickets, please click here.

5-8 p.m. at Legume Bistro, 214 N. Craig St in North Oakland (15213).  

Back in 2009, Legume’s Sarah and Trevett Hooper decided that they should stop serving meat from factory farms that used antibiotics and artificial growth hormones. They didn't want Legume’s money to go to factory farms and also didn’t want to serve the community food that they didn’t think was healthy. They were happy to discover that the antibiotic-free meats actually tasted better, because they were produced on smaller operations that focused on quality.  The lesson learned over and over throughout the past seven years is that whenever one makes food purchasing decisions based on health and well being, it almost always leads to better tasting, more pleasurable experiences.

Our understanding of the issues surrounding antibiotics in our food system has changed over the years. In 2009, many people thought it was possible to protect oneself from the misuse of antibiotics on factory farms simply by avoiding meat from factory farms.  However, this isn’t the case.  The environmental impact of factory farming threatens everyone’s health, even those who don’t consume their products.  (For a good explanation as to why the misuse of antibiotics in factory farming is a public health issue, click here.)

Legume looks forward to hosting Steven and Kevin, as Trevett know of no other chefs in the region who make it a higher priority to work with healthy, antibiotic-free meats in their kitchens. In terms of sourcing meat, Steven and Kevin set a bar for integrity that is hard to match.  Their work is a reminder that a commitment to local, high-quality food in Pittsburgh can and should extend beyond local veggies, eggs, cheese and lamb.  That was a great place to start two decades ago, when the idea of a restaurant sourcing fresh, highest-quality foods was still a novel idea, but in 2014 it's time to start paying attention to what's at the center of the plate.  Crested Duck and Marty’s Market are leaders in this regard, which is why it made sense to invite them for this dinner.

Though the highlight of the evening will certainly be the dinner itself, there will also be a resource table available for anyone who wants to learn about farms and food businesses in the region that provide healthy, antibiotic-free meats and poultry.